Session

Documents & Publications

Documents & Publications

Various documents and publications are prepared by the Secretary of the Senate (Secretary) or are received and distributed by the Secretary. These documents are available electronically or in print through the Senate Services Center, 301 Capitol, (850) 487-5915.

Amendments

Drafting

Filing

Only Senators and permanent Senate professional staff may file amendments.

Floor amendments—Amendments that are to be considered in the chamber are filed in the Senate Services Center by the established deadline. Amendments are "late filed" if filed after the deadline or filed during session at the Amendment Desk in the chamber.

Hard copies

Amendments proposed for consideration at a committee meeting are assembled into a meeting packet; amendments filed for floor consideration are compiled into an amendment packet. Individual amendment copies or full amendment packets are available in the Senate Services Center.

Electronic Access

All amendments filed for floor consideration (adopted committee amendments, Senate amendments to Senate and House bills, engrossed amendments, engrossed Senate amendments to House bills, House amendments to Senate bills) and Senate floor action on such amendments are posted and can be viewed in the Session section.

Bills

Drafting

Filing

When a bill is submitted for filing, it is numbered, and made available electronically. With certain exceptions, such bills must be filed by noon of the first day of the regular session.

Copies

Current year bills can be printed from the Session section or a copy of a bill may be picked up from the Senate Services Center. Copies of bills from the past 10 years are available on the archive site.

Engrossed Bills

Senate adoption of an amendment to a Senate bill triggers the engrossing stage in a bill's history. Proper placement of the amendment within the bill and text accuracy of each amendment are verified. If passed by the Senate, the engrossed Senate bill is sent to Messages for transmittal to the House. Copies can be printed from the Session section or may be picked up from the Senate Services Center.

Each Senate amendment to a House bill that has been adopted is checked for proper placement of text. An adopted Senate amendment to a Senate amendment is engrossed to make one amendment to the House bill. The House bill and its amendments are sent to Messages for transmittal to the House. Copies of Senate amendments to House bills can be printed from the Session section or may be picked up from the Senate Services Center.

Messages to the House

A bill that has been acted upon by the Senate is transmitted to the House, along with a message detailing the action taken and requesting concurrence. Likewise, bills and messages are received from the House. Message summaries for bills to be considered on the Senate floor are available online. A bill may be transmitted several times between the houses.

Enrolled Bills

Enrolling involves the preparation of a Senate bill for action by the Governor or transmittal to the Secretary of State. The enrolled Senate bill is signed by the President and Secretary of the Senate and the Speaker and Clerk of the House. Current year bills can be printed from the Session section.

The Senate Enrolling Clerk receives enrolled House bills for signature by Senate officers and returns these bills to the House Enrolling Clerk.

Calendars

Committees provide the Secretary's Office with written notification of meetings that includes the date, time, and place of the meeting along with a list of bills (including the bill number, introducer, and a brief title) and other agenda items to be considered. Notices of all Senate and Joint committee meetings, and other meetings specified by Senate Rule, are published in the calendar.

During session, a Daily Calendar is published. It includes the Daily Order of Business; Bills on Special Order; Local, Consent, or Claim Bill Calendars; Bills on Second and Third Reading; Bills on Reconsideration; and notices of meetings scheduled for that day and the next two days. Also included is a tentative committee meeting and session schedule for the current week and subsequent week.

Between regular sessions, an Interim Calendar is prepared for each week of scheduled committee meetings. It includes notices of committee meetings, brief titles of all filed bills and references, and other important legislative information.

Chamber Documents

Documents generated or considered while the Senate is in session are available in the Senate Services Center and on the Internet. Amendments and votes are kept until publication of the daily Journal. A limited number of appropriation bills and related conference committee reports are available while supply lasts. Audio recordings and votes are retained permanently.

Committee Documents

At the direction of each committee during session, preliminary committee meeting documents (agendas, proposed legislation, amendments, and professional bill analyses) are circulated to committee members and bill sponsors by the Senate Services Center. Upon distribution, copies are available to the public on each Committee page and from the Senate Services Center. Following the committee meeting, these preliminary documents are discarded and the official report is available.

Senate Directories

Published by the Secretary, the Directory of the Florida Senate provides specified information about each Senator (name, district, and party affiliation; addresses and telephone numbers of district and Tallahassee offices; and the names and titles of professional staff). The directory also provides information concerning Senate committees and other legislative offices: directors, addresses, and telephone numbers. This document is updated as needed.

Handbooks, Manuals, & Reports

The Florida Senate Glossary

The Florida Senate Glossary is a selection of terms commonly used in the Florida Legislature, including words and phrases that have a usage unique to the Florida Senate.

The Florida Senate Handbook

Published by the Office of the Secretary biennially, the Florida Senate Handbook provides information on Senators and officers. It outlines and describes the Senate, its operations, and its relationship with the House and the other branches of government. It is distributed free of charge to Capitol visitors and other interested Floridians to enhance their knowledge and understanding of Florida's government, and particularly, the Florida Senate. Archives of previous handbooks are available at archive.flsenate.gov.

The Florida Senate Rules and Manual

The Florida Senate Rules and Manual contains the Senate Rules, a list of Senate officers and members, germanity standards, forms of common motions, and the State Constitution. Copies of this manual are available in the Senate Services Center. Archives of previous Senate Rules are available at archive.flsenate.gov.

The Florida Senate Handbook for Kids

The Florida Senate Handbook for Kids (PDF) contains facts about the Legislature and games and puzzles designed to help students learn.

Journal

The Senate Journal is the official record of proceedings in the Florida Senate. Based upon the daily order of business set by Senate rule, the content of the journal is also governed by constitutional and statutory requirements. First reading of bills by publication of title, amendments to bills, reports of committees, executive appointments and suspensions, communications from the Governor, messages from the House of Representatives, and votes taken are a few of the elements that must be included in the journal.

Journals are prepared and published daily when the Legislature is in session. A copy of a daily journal is available for pickup in the Senate Services Center. When the session ends, the daily journals are electronically compiled and published in a bound volume. Copies of the bound journals are distributed to all members of the Senate, the Attorney General, the Supreme Court, certain legislative offices, and the State Library. Distribution is made to various library depositories around the state and to the Library of Congress, and may also be purchased by private individuals at cost. Editions of bound journals are available from the 1998 session forward on the Internet. Archives of previous journals are available at archive.flsenate.gov.

Floor Votes

Copies of roll call votes, taken electronically, on questions considered on the chamber floor, are available to the public, either on the Internet or from the Senate Services Center.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities

At its organization session every two years, the Senate elects a Secretary of the Senate (Secretary) pursuant to the Constitution of the State of Florida. This non-member constitutional officer serves as the Parliamentarian of the Senate, keeps all Senate records, and authenticates each act and resolution passed by the Senate. The Secretary also publishes the journal and the calendar.

Other operations within the Secretary's Office include: bill drafting, bill and amendment filing, duplication and public distribution of documents, and the operation of specialized chamber computer systems, such as the Senate's electronic voting system and Session Organizer.

The Secretary's Office maintains Senate information included on the Florida Senate's official website and on the Legislature's Online Sunshine home page.

The Secretary's Office speaks to various visiting civic and student groups and hosts numerous mock sessions throughout each year such as YMCA Youth Legislature, Boys State, and Girls State.

Document Custodian

The Secretary's Office is a central information source for the legislative process.

As custodian for legislative documents that are retained permanently (filed amendments, filed bills, committee meeting notices, committee reports, and audio recordings), documents may be examined and copied until such time as they are forwarded to the Division of Archives and Records Management of the Department of State for archiving.

Parliamentarian

Elected by the Senate to serve at its pleasure, the Secretary of the Senate is a constitutional officer who serves as the parliamentarian and procedural resource for the President, members, and professional staff of the Senate in the detailed processes by which laws are enacted.

Visitors' Presentations

At the request of a Senator, a specific date and time may be reserved for the Secretary to work through some legislative actions, including mock sessions, debate, and voting, for groups (such as YMCA Youth Legislature, Boys State, Girls State, and other school or special interest groups) who are visiting in the Senate Chamber.

Legislative Process

Vote Required

Senate Rules

Two-thirds (2/3) Vote of Senators Present and Voting:

Chamber

To amend a bill on third (3rd) reading (except title or corrective amendment) [Rule 7.2]

To approve or amend a report of the Committee on Rules relating to action on the Rules and Order of Business in the Senate [Rule 11.3]

To consider a bill upon which an unfavorable committee report has been filed [Rule 4.7]

To consider a late-filed amendment, if any Senator requests that such vote be taken [Rule 7.1]

To establish, strike a bill from, or add a bill to the Special Order Calendar [Rule 4.17]

To immediately certify any bill to the House [Rule 6.8]

To introduce a claim bill after the deadline for filing claim bills or to consider a House claim bill without a Senate companion [Rule 4.81]

To limit debate [Rule 8.6]

To recommit a bill that has been reported by a committee [Rule 2.15]

To refer a bill to a different committee or remove from a committee [Rule 4.10]

To refer, commit, or amend a bill on third (3rd) reading (except corrective or title amendment) [Rule 4.15]

To spread remarks upon the Journal [Rule 4.11]

To substitute a House companion measure not on same reading [Rule 3.11]

To waive or suspend Senate Rules [Rule 11.2]

To waive readings of a bill or a joint resolution on three (3) separate days [Rule 4.12]

To waive readings of certain concurrent resolutions or memorials on two (2) separate days [Rule 4.13]

Committee

To consider a late-filed amendment, if any member requests that such a vote be taken [Rule 2.39]

To limit debate [Rule 2.50]

To reject an unfavorable report by a subcommittee [Rule 2.16]

To reconsider instanter [Rule 2.35]

Two-thirds (2/3) Vote of the Membership of 40:

Chamber

To censure, reprimand, or expel a Senator determined to have violated the requirements of the Rule regulating ethics and conduct [Rule 1.43]

Unanimous Consent of Senators Present:

Chamber

To adopt a motion to waive a Rule requiring unanimous consent [Rule 11.2]

To change a vote after the results have been announced [Rule 5.2]

To consider a bill which has not been reported favorably by at least one Senate committee [Rule 4.31]

To consider a bill out of order on a Senate calendar [Rule 4.16]

To reconsider a bill after the Senate has refused to reconsider or confirmed its first action [Rule 6.4]

To withdraw a committee substitute from further consideration [Rule 6.10]

Committee

To vote or change a vote after the results have been announced [Rule 2.28]

To reconsider a bill after the committee has refused to reconsider or confirmed its first action [Rule 2.35]

Notice and Review Requirements

Conference Committees

Notice Requirements:

Filing
A notice must be filed with the Secretary at least one (1) hour prior to the meeting. The notice must state the date, time, and place of the meeting along with the name of the conferees and scheduled participants. [Rule 2.19(1)]

Review Requirements:

Implementing or Conforming Bills
Twenty-four (24) hour public review period required before final passage if report submitted after furnishing of the general appropriations bill [Joint Rule 2.1(8)]

Substantive Bills
Twelve (12) hour review period for membership prior to the time the bill is scheduled to be taken up on the Senate floor [Rule 4.5(1)]

Constitutional Requirements

Constitution of the State of Florida

Financial Impact Statement Required:

A statement regarding the probable financial impact of any amendment proposed by initiative must be given to the public prior to the holding of an election. [Art. XI, s. 5(c)]

Public Review Period:

Bills Increasing State Revenues
Seventy-two (72) hour period required after third (3rd) reading before final passage [Art. VII, s. 1(e)]